Impact of floating debris on flood barriers

Details

Supervisors

Soares Frazao, Sandra

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil des constructions, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

Flooding has been an increasing concern since records began, affecting many countries worldwide. Belgium, in particular, experienced severe impacts during the floods of July 2021, which caused significant material damage, especially to buildings. Catastrophic events like this one show that qualitative protective measures are necessary to reduce or even prevent damage. One effective way to mitigate such damage is by installing flood barriers on doors and windows. Although various barriers are available on the Belgian market, there are currently no established standards for them. The FLOOD project, initiated by Build- wise in collaboration with UCLouvain, aims to develop these standards. The project is heavily influenced by the American FM Approvals standard, which includes a series of tests: a hydrostatic test, a 600 Joule impact test, and a second hydrostatic test following the impact. This master’s thesis contributes to the development of these standards and is divided into two main sections. The first section addresses what the barriers must withstand, including the types of debris that could occur during floods and the impact they might have on the barriers. It also examines the potential velocities of floodwaters. This infor- mation also draws from numerical simulations of the 2021 floods in Pepinster, Belgium. Based on this information, the energy that flood barriers must be able to withstand is calculated. The results are then compared to the suggestions of the American test standard. The second, experimental part of the study describes the development of a test setup and procedure for the impact test. Initially, a method was devised using a miniature model, which was later applied to two full-scale barriers in the complete test series. The results are thoroughly analysed, leading to a final section where suggestions for improvement and an enhanced test procedure is provided. These recommendations are intended to support future testing or research in this area.